Traction ditching-machine.



C. M. HICKEY.

TRACTION DITCHING MACHINE. APl LICATION FILED DEC.26. 1914.

1,1 84,238; Patented May 23, 1916.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IN V EN TOR.

WITNESSES C. M. HICKEY.

TRACTION DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

1 ,1 84,238. Patented May 23, 1916.

IIYVENTOR.

WITNESSES C. M. HICKEY.

TRACTION DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26, 1914.

1,1 84,238. Patented May 23, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

IN VEN TOR.

EWITNESSES: 6,

My Y

CHARLES M. HICKEY, 0F STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

TRACTION DITCHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23,1916.

Application filed December 26, 1914. Serial No. 878,997.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES M. HICKEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of SanJoaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Traction Ditching-Machines; and I do declare thefollowing to be a clear, full, and exact description of the same, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same, reference eing had to the accompanying drawings, and

to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisapplication.

This invention relates to improvements in ditching and excavatingmachines, the object of the invention being to produce a tractionditching machine advanclng under its own power. v

The particular aim and object of the invention is to produce such amachine as will dig the ditch to the desired depth and slope the sidesthereof simultaneously and 11ft and carry the excavated dirt away asrapidly as possible.

A further object of the invention is to produce a machine, the structureand operation of which will tend to aid, rather than retard, the advancemovement of the machine as the ditch is excavated and also to have therespective operations and operating structures therefor so positioned asto perfectly balance the machine so as to cause it to be most efficientoperation while exercising the least necessary amount of power.

The invention also embodies certain details with respect to the cuttingof the ditch and clearing away of the dirt, all of which will appearhereinafter.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a simple andinexpensive device and yet one which will be, exceedingly effective forthe purposes for which it is designed.

These objects, I accomplish by means of such arrangement and realtiveposition of the parts as willfully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

On the drawings, similar characters of reference indicate. correspondingparts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofthe same. Fig. 3 1s a fragmentary detailed view of the bearings for theside cutter shafts and for the conveyer frame. Fig. 4 is a top plan vlewof a fragmentary portion of the bearlngs for the side cutter shafts andfor the conveyer frame. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on a line X'Xof Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on a line Y-Y of Fig. 3.Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a guiding pan. F g. 8 1s a top plan viewof the same. Fig. 9 1s a sectional viewtaken on a line Z-Z of Fig. 8.

Referring now more particularlyv to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the numeral 1 designates the main frame of the device suitablyconstructed out of channel 1I'0I1 or other suitable material "andsupported on 1ts forward end on wheels 2 and near its rear end ondriving wheels 3 suit- 7 ably mounted on a shaft or axle 4.

The numeral 5 designates the power which may be a asolene motor or anyother suitable or a aptable form of power, which, acting through themedium of transmission gears'and ther well known structures, is used todrive the wheels 3 and advance the ditcher and is likewise usedto'operate the ditch cutting mechanism in a manner as will presentlyappear.

The ditch cutting mechanism is so positloned that that portion thereofwhich proects into and cuts the ditch is beyond the rear wheels of thedevice so that the weight and bulk of the tractor is carried ahead ofthe ditch so that there will be no danger of the same caving into thedirt adjacent the ditch. Thls ditch cutting mechanism embodies a drlvenshaft 6 on which is pivotally hinged a cutter chain supporting frameorladder 7 WlllCh is constructed in any desired manner and of anysuitable material.

The shaft 6 is driven through the medium of suitable geared transmissionfrom the power 5 and secured on such shaft 6 are a plurality of tumblers8 adapted to drive the cutter chains 9, such cutter chains at theirlower end moving over suitable tumblers 10 similar in structure to thetumblers 8 and suitably secured to a shaft 11 journaled in the lower endof the frame 7.

The cutter chains 9 are disposed in pairs so that one, two or threeunitsmay be operated cutter bars-or s'carifiers 13. With the move-- ment ofthe cutter chains 9 these scarifiers or cutter bars 13 move along in thedirt 14.

' of the ditch and loosen or scarify the same so that the succeedingcutter bucket will readily cut into such dirt and carry it out of theditch.

As the buckets and cutter bars 13'leave the ditch and move up above theground level 15, they move into a guiding pan consistin of two channelshaped parts 16 and- 16 te escoping into each other in a manner as shownat 17. This telescoping efi'ect allows of this pan 16---16 being alwayspositioned directly'at the ground level so that as the buckets move outof the ditch they will move through such pan and thus not lose any ofthe dirt which they are carrying. The lower end of the pan 16-16-isprovided with a scraper 18 projecting along the ground level and adaptedto engage any slight irregularities in the ground and level the same, sothat the bottom end of the pan suitable clutches or other mechanicaldevices,'etc., for operating the same.

The cutter chain frame 7 may be raised or lowered in any suitablemanner, but I' have provided as an illustration a cable 22 operated by adrum 23- suitably connected by gears and clutches with the power 5.. Thecable 22 projects over a pulley 24 and is provided with a hook 25 whichmay be engaged with the lower end of the frame 7 in any suitable; mannerand then with the operation of the drum 23, the frame 7 and all itsconnected parts may be raised on its pivotal I point 6 according asdifferent depths of ditches are desired to be dug or in a similar mannerthe entire mechanism may be raised until above the ground level when itis desired to transfer the machine from one point to another.

A pair of bracing and supporting rods 26 are secured to the frame 1and'projectdown, to the shaft 11 where they are suitably bolted tosleeves 27 into which project the ends ofsuch shaft 11. To prevent thesaid braces 26 from pulling loose from the ends of the said shaft 11,the interior of each sleeve 27 is provided with a shoulder 28, therebeing washers 29 abutting against such shoulders 28, such washers 29being secured to the ends of the shafts 11 to hold the sleeves 27 inposition on such ends of the The above structure and operation is suchas accomplishes the digging of a straight 'vertical ditch, but in orderto make the proper kind of a ditch for all purposes, it

is necessary for the sides to be made sloping to prevent caving. Itherefore provide the following structure for this purpose, namely:Secured to the frame 1 on each side of the rear end thereof, is a pairof pro jecting supporting bars 31. The numeral 32 designates a shaftjournaled in each pair of arms 31 at the outer ends thereof, such shafts32 being also journaled on the frame 1. These shafts 32 are to be driventhrough suitable transmission means from the power 5 and each carries onits outer end a beveled gear 33.

The numeral 34 designates a cutter shaft disposed obliquely on each sideof the cutter frame 7 and clamped onto said cutter shafts 34 are cuttingknives 35 disposed in alternate relation with respect to each other.

Said -shafts 34, at their upper ends, are journaled in bearings 36connected with the bars 31 and each shaft is provided with a beveledgear 37 meshing with its corresponding gear 33. At their other ends, theshafts 34 fit into guide bearings 38 in such a manner that normally theydo not strike the bottom of said bearings, thus allowing for a slightmovement therein to compensate for the strain due'to vibration of theparts. The

said bearings 38 are held by arms 39 pivotally connected with lips 40,as at 41, such lips 40 being connected with the member 7. The members 39are provided with bolts 42 movable through -curved slots 43 in the lips40 to allow of the position of the bearings 39 being changed when theangle of the shafts 34 is changed to make a. greater or less slope tothe side of the ditch. When this change is to be made, the rods 31 aremovedeither inwardly or outwardly and set at diflerent positions, thisbeing allowed of byreason of such rods being provided with a plurality:of holes 31 for receiving the bolts which connect the rods '31 to theframe 1. When these rods 31 are moved in the manner specified, theshafts 32 slip through the bearings 32 on the frame 1 and the gears 37would then be replaced by gears of a different pitch in order to conformto the change thus made.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have provided atraction ditch-' ing machine wherein the weight and bulk of the tractoris carried ahead of the ditch so that there will be no danger of thesame cavmg 1n the dirt adjacent the ditch. I

have likewise provided an admirable way of digging ditches of differentwidths, depths and of providing sloping sides therefor, all of whichfeatures are essentially 'vital in the construction of a successfulditching machine. i While I am aware that many ditching machines havebeen constructed and patented, still I believe that the aboveenumerpurpose may be allowed, hence, I have not herein described thesame in detail but have merely referred to the same sufficiently todefine the same in connection with those features upon which I claiminvention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is A ditching machine of thecharacter described comprising a supporting frame, a cutter framemounted on said supporting frame and carrying a cutting means, a tel-.escopic pan mounted on said. supporting frame and projecting below thesame, a-

scraper on the lower member of said pan arranged to move in advance ofthe ditch and level the ground surface whereby the lower end of the panwill maintain a position adjacent the top edge of the ditch to form aclose joint between the pan and ground surface adjacent the ditch, saidcutting means being movable over said pan, as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. HICKEY. Witnesses:

STEPHEN N. BLEWETT, FLoYD M. BLANCHARD.

